Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-12
A GRIEYED EXPRESSION

Fitted over her face, but was followed
quickly by smile as she drew cash
(small coin with square hole in its CEN
teri, from her sleeve and holding it to her
eye looked at me through it, saying: "Can
see kind master; can see, honorable
father far away in Ashiwo." Then she
told me how for four years she had sup
ported her old father, and what great
pleasure my gifts had given her, greater
than whole wreath of Kioto flowers.
Thus it was that little Yasu had denied
herself of all the adornments so priced by
girls of her age, and lavished all her hun
CRY vanity upon those two chubby hands.
There are many Yasus know in America,
little women who, though they
hold the coins close to their eyes,
only shut out the beauties of
some duty by their attraction. Before |
left, Yasu appeared in a brilliant new obii
SASH, and silk camellia showed in her
black hair, but know they did not give
her the joy that the little white hand did
when it transferred her purse of well
earned notes to the sleeve of the withered,
crooked old man, her father, who came
over one day from Ashiwo, to see her, nav
ing had lift" given him by friendly
pack-driver. Yasu was truly proud of her
hand, and she had right to be-
ANOTHER FEMININE SUNLIGHT.
With the usual heart-twinge | left ri
machi and Yasu and in three days received
an invitation to a musical evening at the
house of a japanese friend in Toxic, where
the charming daughter of the host made
the past become a nothing, as though
had bathed in Lethe. She was tall, for
Japanese and the embodiment of grace
to whom the soft silk of her kimono seemed
a gift of nature, like the feathers to a
Bird so perfectly did it hang and change
with every motion. Her complexion was
white with the faintest tone of olive, and
beneath the skin the rose color showed in
her cheeks. Her nose was inclined to be
acquiline and delicate in form. Her eyes
were unusually large, but of perfect
Oriental type, and the brows were arched
and high in either temple showed family
the tracing of blue veins. Her brown
black hair was in the common Pompa-
dour" style, without ornament. This
beautiful woman, although she had never
been out of Japan, spoke French, German
and English fiuently, and was a good per-
former on the violin, while she was famil-
lar with all the musical instruments of her
own country. Never have l spent more
charming evening with music, the classical
Chinese with its wonderful fascination of
strangest sweetness reminding me of some
Hungarian dance music, and the popular
japanese songs making the time pass
faster than | knew.
SPECIAL OCCASION COSTUMES.
On the following day the University
boat race was to take place at Whikojima,
and the ladies gave me to understand that
if / would go / should see something very
fine in the way of costume, as they had
some special dresses for the occasion.
Next day l took my stand not far from the
Imperial carriage of the Empress and
awaited the arrival of my friends. They
came soon, but my disappointment may be
imagined when instead of the gracefully
clad girl | had admired so much the
evening before, found her transformed
into a tasteless, dowdy-looking creature
A costume Of scarlet satin made in
European style, fitted or misftted her
tightly-laced figure, her hair combed
down to her eyebrows and cut straight
across showed an awful failure at frizzing,
little hat covered with varigated flowers
crowned the whole Her two younger sisters,
dressed in the same absurd way, were with
her, and the father, wearing silk hat of
the style of several years ago, filled his
carriage corner, smiling contentedly at his
fashionable daughters. My opinion being
asked concerning the change, | expressed
my utter detestation of it. The girls
smiled at my warmth and said, although
they did not think the foreign dress more
beautiful, it was nevertheless more fashion,
able, "and see" said one, calling my atten-
ton to the Imperial carriage, "the Empress
is dressed quite like us and her clothes are
from Paris, from WORTH" l gave up at
once; that talsmanic name from the lips
of an Oriental beauty told me that all
hope for the preservation of the native
costume in all its picturesqueness must be
abandoned, unless little Yasu or the hand
some pack-driver and girls of their class
save it, educated as their are in the con-
servatism of poverty.
CuAE A G,I-NrNISoN